Pink
by butterflyKisses26
Summary: Nikki had her life all planned out. And then the strip turned pink. Please R
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Summerland or anything related to the show.

Spoilers: This takes place four years after the end of Summerland.

Author's Note: I don't know how often I'll be updating this fic. I think it all depends on how many reviews I get and how into the story I am.

**__**

Pink

Chapter One

Two pink strips. That was all it took to change my life.

You always think of these things happening to other people. But not to you. Never to you. It's one of those things that is like a myth. But it's not. It's all too true.

As I stared at those twin strips I saw my life, or the life I could have had, flash before my eyes. In an instant, my life as I knew it ended. I felt as if I were going to die. This couldn't be happening, not to me. I was only seventeen. But there they were, those dreaded matching lines of pink. And they could only mean one thing.

I was pregnant.

A million thoughts seemed to fly through my brain at the same time. What was I going to tell my family? What would my boyfriend think? What would my friends say? Would I become the source of gossip in my school? But the most prevalent thought was: How had this happened?

We had used protection, I made sure of that. And yet, apparently, that hadn't been enough.

_Oh god_, I thought, _what am I going to do?_

I looked back down at the stick, hoping against hope that I had simply imagined it all. Nope. Those strips were still pink.

Tears flooded my eyes and poured down my cheeks in hot streaks. A sadness so overwhelming washed over me, leaving me nearly breathless beneath its weight. My legs lost all strength and I slowly sank down to the cold, tiled floor of the bathroom. I sat there for what seemed like hours, crying until I had no tears left within me. And, even when the tears ran out, I still sobbed. Didn't I have a right to? I was pregnant. I had every right to cry and cry and cry until I was done relishing in my sadness and confusion and…guilt.

The white stick stared up at me, the pink lines like two condemning eyes. God, I had really messed up. What the hell was I going to do? I couldn't have a baby. Not at seventeen.

I really needed to talk to someone. I needed to have someone tell me that everything would be alright, and that I would be okay.

But I couldn't go to my aunt, and I definitely couldn't tell my boyfriend…not yet at least. So who could I go to? Only one person came to mind.

> > > > > 

"Are you sure?" Amber looked at me, her eyes wide. I had just finished telling her about the pregnancy test and its results. She had very nearly spit out her Diet Coke when I told her.

"Yeah," I replied with a sad nod of my head. "I'm sure."

"But sometimes those things can be wrong, right?" Amber pulled her legs up underneath her as she settled back against the headboard of her bed.

We hadn't always been friends, Amber and I. When we first met, she was the ex-girlfriend of my boyfriend, Cameron. But, after a month or so of hating each other's guts, we learned that we really weren't that different from one another. And thus our friendship began.

"Yeah, but I'm two weeks late." I whispered, casting a glance around Amber's bedroom as if her little brother were hiding somewhere in the shadows listening to us.

"That's serious." Amber shook her head.

"I know," I replied. "My period is _never _late."

"Have you told Cam yet?"

I shook my head.

"No. You're the only one who knows."

"Nikki, you've got to tell him. He'll want to know." Good old Amber, always so sensible. If only it were that easy.

If only I could just go up to Cam, my boyfriend of four years, and tell him that even though we've only slept together twice I was already pregnant. Yeah, like that was going to go over well. He'd flip out. But at least he wouldn't break up with me. Or at least, I hoped that he wouldn't. I knew that Cam wasn't like most guys. He wasn't going to get a girl pregnant and than bail on her. But you never could know that about guys until they were actually faced with the possibility of being a father. So I didn't want to risk it. I didn't want to jeopardize our perfect relationship. Or maybe I just didn't want this pregnancy to be real. Because that's what telling Cam would make it; real and unavoidable.

"I'm not even sure if I'm going to keep it." I replied.

"What?" Amber's eyes widened even further, the shock more than slightly evident. "Nik, are you thinking about having an abortion?"

I nodded slowly, a few tears escaping down my cheeks. That option hadn't even entered my mind until I said it out loud. But maybe that was for the best. Maybe it was better not to think about it at all, and just to do it. To get it over with.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with a baby." I cried. Roughly, I wiped the back of my hand over my face, rubbing away the tears. "I want to go to college next year. A baby will ruin that."

I knew, even as I said those words, that I was only making excuses for an abortion. I knew that I couldn't ever go through with it. But still, it was nice to think I had another option.

"Look," Amber laid a hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort and placate me, "just talk this over with Cam. He should get a say in this decision. After all, it's his child too."

"I can't tell him." I shook my head. "How's he going to react?"

"I don't know." Amber replied. "But I do know that he'll want to know about this. If you keep this baby a secret from him and he finds out…Nikki, he'll never be able to trust you again. You have to make this decision together."

I knew that she was right, I was just too stubborn to admit it.

I sighed. How was I going to tell him? The scenarios played through my head over and over again like a broken record. Cam yelling, me crying. Cam crying, me crying. Cam storming off, me crying. Cam holding me as I cried. No matter how I told him, I knew that it would end in tears.

> > > > > 

Well, what do y'all think so far? I know this chapter was kinda short, sorry 'bout that. Hopefully, the next one will be longer. But the length of the next chapter, as well as how soon it's posted depends on two things. First of all, how in to the story I am. And second of all: reviews. So, if you want to help speed up the updating process you just gotta do one thing. REVIEW! Lol. Alright, enough rambling. I'll let y'all go so that you can press that little purple button that's calling your name. Go on, press it. You know you want to. Lol.


	2. Chapter 2

I just wanted to thank all of you who reviewed the first chapter. I really appreciate it.

Also, I wanted to make a note of something that I forgot to say in the first chapter. I do not condone premarital sex. I believe that sex should be saved for marriage as it is something sacred that God created. I myself have pledged to wait until my wedding night to have sex, and I would urge everyone to do the same because it will save you a lot of hurt and shame in the future. However, I know that many people do have sex before they are married. I do not look down on them in any way, I'd like to make that clear because sometimes I can come off sounding kinda preachy and condemning. I want you to know that I am not at all like that. Anyways, I just wanted to say that. Now, on with the story.

Chapter Two

Two. That's how many times Cam and I have slept together. It's such a small number, yet it had the power to change my life forever.

I remember the first time we slept together. We had been walking the beach, talking. The sun was just beginning to set and the tide was starting to rise, soaking our feet and legs in cool salt water. We were holding hands and I remember how strong and confident his fingers felt entwined with my own. It had never been planned, our sleeping together, it just sort of happened. As we walked, we stumbled upon a small cave and went inside it to explore. We started kissing and, well, one thing led to another. At first I was reluctant to have sex. After all, neither of us had brought protection, or so I had thought. But Cam revealed to me the fact that he always carried a condom in his wallet. I should have been furious with him for doing that, since it gave off the idea that we would be doing it sometime soon. But I wasn't. And we spent a lot of time in that cave, exploring each other's bodies and giving in to the love that we shared for each other.

Many times, couples say that sex changes their relationship. I've seen it before. Once a couple has sex, that's all they think about, and all the romance quickly leaves the relationship. But that didn't happen with me and Cam. No, if anything, sex only made our relationship better. We realized that the little things mattered. And we would often surprise each other with small little gifts or stolen kisses. Cam once surprised me with a beautiful seashell that he had found on the beach. That shell still sits in my room, proudly recalling a time when everything was so simple.

After that first time, we didn't sleep together for a few months. We wanted sex to be something special, not something we did everyday because we were bored.

The second time, was the time that changed everything.

We were at Cam's house doing our homework. School had gotten out about an hour before, and his dad was still at work, which meant that we were alone. I can't remember all the details of that day. I do remember, however, that we were studying, and I spilled soda on my shirt. Cam led me into his room to get me another shirt to wear and we started kissing. That led to making-out and then, finally, to sex. We had protection- Cam had bought a box of condoms after our first time and kept them in the drawer of his nightstand- and we were careful to use it. But that obviously hadn't been enough.

> > > > > 

After talking with Amber, I had to get to work. Which meant that I wouldn't be able to tell Cam about my pregnancy. That was good, however, since I had no clue how I was going to tell him.

I walked into the Sandbar- the restaurant owned by my Aunt Ava's fiancé, Johnny- and the smells of seafood and burgers mixed together in a nauseating scent. I felt my stomach revolt and it was all I could do to get to the bathroom in time.

Leaning against the cool porcelain of the toilet, I threw up everything that was in my stomach. My skin felt clammy and hot, as if I had a fever. But I knew the real reason for this sudden illness; the dreaded morning sickness had set in. Soon, I would no longer be able to hide the fact that I was pregnant. The very idea of the truth coming out set me into a fit of dry heaves.

How could I tell my family? They would be so upset and heartbroken. I was the smart child, the one who did everything right. What would they think of me once I told them the truth?

Once again the tears came. I cried long and hard, not caring who heard me. I was upset damn it, and I had the right to cry. Every so often I would hear the door to the women's room open and then close. No one came in. It was as if my crying repelled them, and I was glad for that. I wanted to be alone, to wallow in my self-pity without interruption.

But my wallowing could only last for so long.

Fifteen minutes into my crying time, my cell phone rang. I sniffled and looked at the caller id. It was Johnny. He probably was wondering why I was late to work. Gaining control of my crying, I answered on the fifth ring.

"Hello?" I said, trying not to sound as if I'd been crying, but failing miserably.

"Nikki? Hey, are you okay?" Johnny asked, clearly worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I replied, rubbing at the snot that dripped from my nose with the back of my hand.

"You sure? You don't sound too good."

Ah Johnny, ever observant.

"I'm fine." I assured him. "I'm just feeling a bit under the weather."

"Oh, well, then don't worry about coming in today. I'll get someone else to cover your shift."

"Um…okay." I said. Johnny told me he hoped I'd feel better and to get plenty of rest. I told him I would.

Clicking off my phone, I placed it back in my purse and stood up. My legs were numb from my sitting down and were shaky as I started to walk towards the sink. I looked in the mirror and the reflection staring back at me was not a pretty sight.

My mascara was running and my eyes were red and puffy as well as the tip of my nose. I splashed cold water on my face and did my best to look normal. But I could only do so much.

Finally, once I was sure I wouldn't scare people away, I made my way carefully out of the bathroom, keeping a careful watch out for Johnny. I didn't want him to spot me and find out that I was the one who had been crying so loudly within the restaurant's restroom.

> > > > > 

I stood on the pier, looking out at the waves that crashed upon the rocks. There was something so peaceful about standing there, listening to the roar of the ocean, the cry of the gulls, the hum of life going on around me. But, despite all the people around me; despite the tourists moving in and out of shops and the Playa Linda natives walking and rollerblading and skateboarding around me, I felt alone.

I still needed to tell Cam about the baby, and Johnny giving me the afternoon off had given me the perfect chance to tell him. But I couldn't. I was too scared. I knew that the moment Cam knew we were going to have a baby that our entire relationship would change. And I didn't want that. I wanted everything to remain as they were. I didn't want either of us to have to worry about a baby.

_I could run away_, I thought as I stood there, watching the foamy crest of the waves, _I could run away and then Cam would never have to know, and I would never have to worry about whether or not he would have dumped me._

But I knew that I could never leave. I didn't have the courage to run away, to leave behind all the comforts that I had and make it on my own.

I sighed and turned my back to the ocean. It was all so confusing. I didn't want to tell Cam, and yet I desperately wanted to know if he would still love me and if he would still want to be with me.

A vicious cycle. That's what this was. A vicious cycle of thoughts that were constantly contradicting each other. I didn't know how much longer I could take it.

> > > > > 

Please review and tell me what you thought.

PS. Sorry if the chapter was kinda short.


	3. Chapter 3

I want to thank all of you who have reviewed this story so far. There are too many of you to name, but just know that I appreciate it. Also, I usually send out individual thank you's to everybody, unfortunatly I cannot do that this time since I am very pressed for time right now. But next chapter I will, once again, send individual thank you's out.

Sorry it took me so long to update. I know that you all have been awaiting this chapter and I want to thank you for being so patient. Now, on with the chapter.

Chapter Three

The next day I woke from a fitful sleep more tired and groggy than I was when I'd first laid down in bed. Outside the sun was obscured by clouds and the day was dark and gloomy. A fitting tribute to my own mood.

I was supposed to meet Cam that afternoon at the juice and smoothie bar where he worked. Needless to say I was not looking forward to that. I didn't want to ruin the relationship that Cam and I shared; and that's exactly what the news of my pregnancy would do. It would ruin us totally and completely.

All I wanted to do was stay in bed all day, buried under the covers in my own little world where I could imagine that none of this was happening to me.

But my stomach had other ideas.

I raced down to the bathroom and leaned over the toilet just as my stomach revolted against me. I'll spare you the disgusting details of the whole event. But once my stomach had contented itself with emptying all it contained, I was left sitting on the bathroom floor, a cold sweat on my brow and my body shaking uncontrollably.

For a long time I sat on that bathroom floor, letting the coldness of the tiles seep in through my pajamas and cool my heated skin. When I was certain that I wouldn't throw-up again, I flushed the toilet and slowly stood. I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on my face, trying to shock my system into working once more. But my body was numb- the reality of what I had to do that day keeping it so.

I had to tell Cam. If I didn't tell him today than I never would. The question was, however, could I do it?

* * *

He was looking handsome as ever as I walked into the juice bar that afternoon. The sun coming in through the open door and windows played off his brown hair, creating a bit of a halo around his head. His beautiful eyes lit up when they saw me. A feeling of dread and guilt mixed unpleasantly in my stomach as I took in his gorgeous smile. That smile had gotten me through many horrible days. But that day it could only increase my tension.

I forced myself to smile back, to act as if nothing was going on. But he could sense something was amiss. He always could. His smile fell a bit, leaving just the corners of his mouth upturned. And his eyes instantly focused on me with a worried stare.

Taking off his apron, he quickly joined me at the table where I had sat down.

"Hey, Nik." He greeted me with a kiss on the cheek before he sat down. "What's wrong?" His eyes searched mine, but I quickly dropped my gaze. There was something very unnerving about his stare that day, almost as if he could read the secret in my eyes.

"Nothing," I replied with a shake of my head. "Why would you think anything's wrong?" I forced myself to laugh, but it sounded hollow and fake even to my own ears.

The look he gave me told me he didn't believe me. And who could blame him?

"Honestly, Cameron, I'm fine." I assured him, forcing myself to look him in the eye so that he would think I was telling the truth.

"Okay," he said, though his tone clearly stated that he did not believe me.

"So," he quickly changed the subject, "what do you want to do today?"

I could have kissed him for understanding that I didn't really want to get into an in-depth discussion at that time. Cam always had a way of being able to read my moods. He always seemed to know what to do and what to say.

"I don't know," I shrugged nonchalantly, "what do you want to do?"

He smiled that knee-weakening grin of his and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of my chair.

"C'mon," he said excitedly, like a little boy on Christmas day, "I've got the perfect idea."

* * *

I had no clue where Cam was taking me, and to be honest, I didn't really care. I was simply too focused on quelling the wave of nausea that had suddenly come over me to take much notice to the fact that we were driving down towards the beach.

Cam kept up a steady stream of chatter as he drove; his words flying at me like a swarm of hungry mosquitoes. It was all that I could do to answer him and still keep the one piece of toast I'd had for breakfast down. But, thankfully, Cam didn't seem to notice my discomfort.

I could have kissed the ground when Cam finally pulled the car to a stop. Slowly, I got out of the car, trying not to disturb my stomach- which I had finally willed into a slight submission.

As I surveyed the stretch of beach where Cam had parked my breath caught in my throat.

This was it. This was the place where it had all started, where we'd first made love to each other.

The sand and ocean stretched out before our eyes and, just off to the side of my vision, I could see the expanse of rock that hid the little cave where it had all taken place.

Why had Cam brought me here? What was he trying to say with that impish and sexy as hell grin of his? That look in his eyes was so open and yet so mysterious as well. On any other day I would have been able to read him as well as any book that I'd ever cracked open. But not that day. Not when my own mind was so occupied with telling him the news that I wished weren't true.

"C'mon," he took my trembling hand in his own strong and confident one and led me down towards the choppy water.

I followed him blindly. There was no way that I was going to be able to concentrate on anything other than the daunting task that was before me.

We reached the water, the cold spray hitting against our skin. The cold water felt good on my heated skin, and the salt stung when it hit my eyes. Unconsciously, I placed a hand on my stomach; over the child that rested inside of me.

_Will he love you?_ I silently asked the child. _Will he want you? Will he want _me

I looked at Cam out of the corner of my eye. He stood beside me, eyes closed, face turned upward towards the sun. He looked so handsome, so self-assured. As I continued to look at him, I felt tears welling up just behind my eyes. God I loved him. I didn't want to lose him.

As if he could sense my eyes upon him, he looked down at me and, seeing the tears in my eyes, his expression instantly became worried.

"Are you all right?" He asked, his hands cupping my face in that way that I loved so much. His gentle touch pulled the trigger on my tears and they came spilling down my face in two hot waterfalls.

"Nikki?" His eyes searched mine as he pulled me into a tight and reassuring hug. His actions were meant to soothe me, but they only increased my turmoil, and my tears.

What would he do when I told him the truth behind my anguish?

"Nikki, you can tell me what's wrong." He whispered in my ear, his hand gently rubbing circles over my back. I sniffled.

"You'll hate me," I whispered so quietly that, for awhile I wasn't certain Cam had heard me.

"I could never hate you, Nik." He replied gently. "I love you too damn much too ever hate you."

My sobbing intensified at his words. Cam held me tightly no matter how hard I cried, gently whispering that things would be okay. I continued to cry, my tears soaking into Cam's shirt, my hands gripping his shoulders roughly; as if, by just holding him there, I could keep him from running away when I finally told him the news.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, my tears subsided.

"Please, Nikki, tell me what's wrong." Cam said. I could hear the worry, the distress in his voice. I wanted to look him in the eyes when I told him, but I couldn't seem to find the strength to do it, to actually _see_ what his reaction would be. And so, with my face buried in the crook of his neck, I told him.

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

Aren't I just evil? Lol. Well, I hope you liked this chapter and will review. Until next time. Ciao. 


	4. Chapter 4

Hello everyone. I want to apologize for how long it took for this update to come out. College is such a hectic place to be and it's been hard for me to find time to write for fun. But I have finally found the time, and I have FINALLY finished this chapter. I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter. 40 reviews for one chapter, that has to be a record for me! Anyways, enough with my babbling, on with the chapter!

Chapter Four

There. The words were out there, hanging in the air like a dark ominous cloud that only spelled doom for myself. I wished, as soon as I said those words, that I could take them back. I'd made a mistake in telling him. Things would never be the same between us. This was going to tear us apart, I could feel it deep inside.

I felt Cam's arms tense around me, and his shoulders stiffened. Here it comes, I thought. He's going to start yelling any second now. He's going to tell me that he never wants to see me again.

I braced myself for what I knew was coming. I built up a wall around my heart, wanting to shield myself from the hurt I knew was going to come.

"You're…" Cam pulled away slowly, taking away the warmth that surrounded me, and leaving me feeling cold and lonely and vulnerable. I wished with all my heart that I could just rewind the minutes and take back the words that I'd said. I wanted Cam's arms to stay wrapped around me; loving me and making me feel safe and secure.

"You're…pregnant?" The word was spoken in a whisper, as if saying it aloud would make it even more true than it already was.

I nodded, too overcome by emotion to say anything.

"Are you sure?" He asked, worried.

Again, I merely nodded. I knew that his worry was not for me, but for himself. What was _he_ going to do? What would happen to _him_ if I was really pregnant?

Deep down I knew that Cam wasn't really that selfish, but right then I wanted nothing more than to have something, other than myself, to be angry at. I wanted to hate Cam for his selfishness so that I didn't have time to hate myself for my own foolishness.

Then, Cam did something that surprised. He pulled me back into his arms and held me tighter than he'd ever held me before.

"Nikki, I love you." He whispered in my ear, "I love you so much. And I am going to do everything within my power to make sure our baby has the best life possible."

Our baby. The words sounded so perfect coming from him.

For so long I had agonized over what was going to happen once I told Cam about my pregnancy, but now that I knew that he would continue to love me and that he would love our baby as well, it was as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

We spent hours sitting on that beach, talking about the baby and the ways in which our lives would change. But most importantly, we discussed how we were going to tell our families. My family especially would be difficult to talk to. After all, I was the good child, the one that never messed up, the one to whom all other teenaged girls were held up against.

This was not going to be pretty.

* * *

The beach house had never looked so ominous before. But now, with this secret inside of me, it looked downright terrifying. I knew that, as soon as I stepped over that threshold, I would have to tell Aunt Ava and Johnny the truth. And I would have to deal with their disappointed looks. That was something I just couldn't handle right then as I was already a giant mountain of emotions.

As if he could sense my fear, Cam squeezed my hand in reassurance. I drew strength from his firm grip, but my feet still remained planted where they were and they didn't have any ideas of moving any time soon.

"We have to do it, Nik." Cam's voice startled me. He sounded so sure of himself, and yet, I could detect a hint of his own fear.

I drew in a deep breath and nodded.

"Ok," I said after a few more seconds of standing there and staring at the house, "I'm ready."

I don't know how I got my feet to move; all I know is that I was inside the house without knowing how I even got there.

Maybe God was with me, and maybe he wasn't. All I know is that when I opened the front door and walked inside, calling out to see who was home, nobody answered. Was this a blessing, or a curse? It prolonged my having to tell my family about my pregnancy, which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you want to look at it.

To me, this was a bad thing. The longer I had to wait to tell Aunt Ava, the harder it would be to do.

* * *

Aunt Ava and Johnny didn't go home until late that night. Too late for me to tell them the news. And so, I was forced to wait until the next day. But by the time I woke, they had already left for work.

I didn't know how much more I could take. If I had to wait one more day I knew I would chicken out all together. Thankfully, I wouldn't have much time to think over the upcoming screaming match since I had to get ready to work the afternoon shift that day. I only prayed that there wouldn't a repeat of the other day.

* * *

My prayers went unanswered, as usual.

The second I walked into the Sandbar that afternoon my stomach turned over and I rushed into the bathroom. Two women stood at the sinks talking as they reapplied their lipstick. I hurried past them and into the nearest stall where I immediately began puking my guts out.

The conversation stopped, and I heard quick footsteps exiting the bathroom and the door slamming shut behind them as they scurried away from the sounds of my barfing.

With a shaking hand, I wiped the sweat from my brow and stood slowly, testing my body to see if it would rebel once more. Nothing happened, and I left the bathroom on shaky legs. The door was barely closed behind me when I ran into a hard body.

"Whoa there, Nikki." I felt Johnny's hands wrap around my arms, keeping me from falling over. I looked up into his concerned eyes.

"You okay?" He asked, "You don't look so good."

"I'm fine." I replied, my shaky voice betraying me.

"You were sick the other day, too. Are you sure you're not coming down with anything?"

"I'm fine." I snapped, glaring at Johnny. "How many times do you want me to tell you that I'm fine?"

Startled at my outburst, Johnny dropped his hands and took a step away from me.

"Why don't you just got home and get some rest." He replied. His jaw was tight and I could tell he was trying to keep from snapping at me in response.

I dropped my gaze – I swear, these mood swings would be the death of me – and nodded dully. If Johnny wanted me to go home, then who was I to argue? However, this would give me more time to worry about that night, when I would have to tell him and Aunt Ava about my pregnancy.

* * *

It was a bit short, but I hope you all liked it. Please review and tell me what you thought. Hopefully it won't take so long for the next chapter to be posted. 


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